Dispenser



Sept. 4, 1956 o. w. JOHNSON ET AL 2,761,584

DISPENSER Filed March 16, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lnvenimrs &, JOHN/V. TUTTLE Sept. 4, 1956 o. w. JOHNSON ETAL 2,761,534

DISPENSER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 16. 1953 Invenimrs v arc/1R wjay/vm/v & JOl-l/V N.TL/T7"LE United States Patent O 2,761,584 DISPENSER Oscar W. Johnson and John N. Tuttle, Rhinelander, Wis., assignors to Rhinelander Paper Company, Rhiuelander, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application March 16, 1953, Serial No. 342,586

2 Claims. (Cl. 221-63) This invention relates to a tissue dispensing container and a tissue packet for use therewith. More particularly, the invention provides a tissue dispensing container and packet combination which permits the dispensing of tissue from the container one at a time While at the same time maintaining the remainder of the tissues in a substantially enclosed and protected position'within the container.

Applicants are aware of the numerous tissue dispensing packages now on the commercial market. However, to their knowledge, none of these prior art devices is as simple or as efficient as that of the present invention which will dispense non-self-supporting tissues one by one down to the last tissue in the package without difliculty. Further, the prior art devices known to us utilize bulky containers which must be broken and folded by the purchaser and thereafter maintained in a substantially open condition or they utilize inter-folded or double-folded tissues which require expensive folding machinery and which render the package unnecessarily bulky. The latter arrangement apparently has been anattempt to rigidify the actual tissue packet in order to permit its use with a flat package utilizing a dispensing opening at the edge. However, instead of solving the problem, these folded tissue arrangements have merely succeeded in complicating the product and the machinery required to produce and package it,

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a dispensing package which is flat, which contains tissues which have one fold only, which is capable of dispensing the tissues one by one down to and including the last tissue and which at the same time is capable of manufacture with a minimum of expense.

A further object of the present invention. is to provide a tissue dispensing carton which is very flat and which dispenses the enclosed tissues one by one from an edge thereof.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a flat, edge-dispensing tissue container which will, through the use of a floating tissue support, dispense non- Self-Supporting tissues down to the last one with no difficulty.

Still a further object of the present invention .is to pro vide a simple, extremely compact tissue dispenser for the dispensingof non-self-supporting tissue which will permit the eflicient use of tissues requiring no machine folding or creasing.

,tainer are subjected to a minimum of contact with the outside, possibly contaminated, atmosphere.

A feature of the present invention is the use of a floating support member which positively maintains the sheets within the container in position for dispensing through an edge opening of the container.

A further feature of the present invention is the pro- Fee vision of a longitudinal slot in the edge of the container, which slot is substantially the same length as the tissue, thus permitting the tissue to be dispensed therethrough Without crinkling or tearing at the edges.

Still another feature of the present invention is the provision of a tissue dispensing container which permits the dispensing of tissue sheets of a size not limited or dictated by any form of tissue folding machinery.

' Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a tissue dispenesing container which may be reloaded for commercial use using a plainream wrapped replacement package.

A further object of the present invention is the provi-v sion of an extremely simple and inexpensive dispensing container for non-self-supporting waxedtissues which permits removal of the entire contents thereof sheet by sheet, without at the same time requiring a large carton.

Still other and further objects will at once become apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of theaccompanying drawings in which we have shown several embodiments of our invention by way of illustration only.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the container, with the dispensable sheets of tissue therein;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the container as shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view of the container with the tissues therein taken along the line IIIIII of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the container with its contents taken along the lines. IV-IV of Figure 1; I

Figure 5 shows a modified form of a dispensing opening utilizable with the container of the present invention;

Figure 6 is a further modification of the dispensing opening used with the container of the present invention;

Figure 7 is a plan view of one form of the floating support member used Within the dispensing container;

Figure 8 shows a modified form of the floating support member shown in Figure 7;

Figure 9 is an end view of the support member shown in Figure 8 after folding into its final form;

Figure 10 is an endview of a modified form of the container using a refill package;

Figure 11 is a plan view of a further modification utilizing a refill package; and

Figure l2 is a view of the tissue support of the present invention with tissues placed thereover and prior toinsertion into the dispenser.

As shown on the drawings:

As shown in Figure 1, the preferred form of the dispenser of our invention utilizes a relatively flat rectangular container made of cardboard or the like of the type now generally used by the industry in manufacturing cartons for disposable tissues. This carton in the form shown in Figure l is sealed at all sides and entry is limited to the dispensing cutaways shown at the upper edge thereof. These cutaways comprise a thumb opening 3a on each side of the container with a connecting opening 3 extending across the top surface 4 of the container. The top 4 is also cut laterally at 5 and 6. The edges 3 of the thumb cutaway are connected to the perforations 5 and 6 by means of longitudinally extending perforations 7 and 8.

In manufacturing the carton, it is the preferred technique merely to intermittently perforate it along the outline of the desired dispensing opening so that the carton may be shippedintact and the dispensing opening easily prepared at the place of use.

Within the outer end walls 1 and 2 of the container, a folded sheaf of tissue 9 is positioned. These tissues in the instant case are preferably of thin-waxed tissue which is not capable of supporting itself. The paper is draped or folded about a stiif floating support member 10 in the position shown in Figures 1 and 3. The support is free to move within the container in the direction of the arrows shown in Figure 3 but is not permitted to move up or down as viewed in that figure.

As is clearly shown in Figure 1, the supporting board 1 is provided with ears 11 which extend above the general tissue supporting edge 12. These ears 11 project upwardly and contact the upper edge surface 4 of the container. The bottom edge 13 of the support member 10 contacts the bottom edge 15 of the container, thereby positioning the member 10 between the edges 4 and 15 or" the container by its ear members 11 and bottom edge 13.

As may be seen from Figure 7, an arcuate cutout 16 is provided in the support member 10 near the center thereof. This cutaway is positioned, when the support is placed in the carton, in general alignmentwith the cutout portions 311 in the sides of the container. The function of the cutout 16 will be described later in connection with the operation of the dispenser.

In further connection with the support member 10 as shown in Figure 7, it is contemplated that the support 10 be provided with corner cutouts shown in dotted lines at 17. These cutouts permit the. manufacture of the support 10, from long strips of stiff cardboard or other suitable rigid material in a nested manner. In such a manufacturing technique, the cutout portions 17 would appear as the ears 11 of the next succeeding support member 10, with the cutout portion 16 being the only part of the support member actually remaining unutilized.

The support member 10 may also take the form shown in Figures 8 and 9, where itis designated as 10'. In these figures, the support is made of a large piece of stiff material which is bent over upon itself as. shown in Figure 9 to form a double walled support member having legs 20 and 21. By utilizing an L-shaped cut 22 at the middle portion of the sides of the member 10, it is possible to provide upstanding ears 11 when the member 10' is folded back upon itself as shown in Figure 9. The cutout 16' which was substantially semi-circular in the support shown in Figure 7, is substantially circular in the construction shown in Figures 8 and 9 so that upon folding the member 10' back upon itself, a generally semicircular cutaway presents itself in alignment with the cutout portion 3a of the container. As may be readily apparent, either the support shown in Figure 7 or that shown in Figures 8 and '9 may be utilized in the container of our invention. It is noted, however, that in some cases, itis desired that none of the sheets of tissue removed from the dispenser have a crease or indication of having been folded and hence, in such cases, it is sometimes found more desirable to utilize the particular support shown in Figures 8 and 9 since the radius provided at the fold, shown at 23, is suflicient to prevent even the innermost sheets from creasing.

In Figure 5, we have shown a further modification which has proved very satisfactory in the dispensing of sheets from our novel dispenser. In that figure, the edge 4 of the container is provided with the usual cutout portion 3 as in Figures 1 and 2. However, instead of utilizing a single cut such as 7 and 8 shown in Figure 2, we have herein shown the use of a somewhat wider, completely cutaway slit or slot 25, and 26. The slots 25 and 26 are larger in opening than the slots formed by the perforations 7 and 8 when deflected outwardly as shown in Figure 3 and therefore cannot be considered quite as protective of the contents of the container. However, in cases where the contents are rapidly used, such as for example, in butcher shops or other commercial establishments Where waxed tissues are used in great quantities, the somewhat larger opening has been found to permit a slightly more rapid handling characteristic. Further, in connection with metallic or otherwise permanent containers utilized with refill packages, as.,expl,ained below, the somewhat larger cutouts 25 with the lack of the edge to edge cuts 5 and 6 shown in Figure 2 permits a stronger, more rigid container.

Figure 6 shows still another modification of the container of the present invention. The container edge 4 in this instance is provided with the usual cutouts 3, but the longitudinally extending slots which were placed substantially along the center line of the surface 4 as shown in Figures 2 and 5, are in this case placed along the edge of the surface 4. As shown in the modification of Figure 6, the openings comprise longitudinally extending cutout portions 28 and 29 which are cut into the top or edge surface 4. This arrangement has proved very satisfactory, especially in the case of ordinary disposable cardboard containers used commercially, since the cardboard of the surface 4 is somewhat resilient and permits a deflection of the surface 4 near the cutouts 3 and 28, 29 to permit the tissue to be withdrawn readily.

In operation, the usual home use or disposable type container dispenser is loaded at the factory in any convenient manner. .For example, the carton may be incompletely sealed, with the perforations forming the dispen'sing cutouts at the edge 4 in an unopened condition, with the edge 15 remaining unsealed and open. With the carton in this condition, and positioned vertically as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the support 10 with the paper folded across its upper edge 12 may be introduced into the carton from below, the edge 15 of the carton then being sealed for shipment.

In view of the fact that the paper or wax tissue utilized in said dispenser is non-self-supporting, it is possible, when loading, merely to place a ream or sheaf of the tissues, lying flat, over the edge 12 of the support 10 and then move the support 10 upwardly. This action is sufiicient in and by itself to cause the tissues to form or fold themselves over the edge 12 of the support 10 into a position generally shown in the containers shown in Figures 3 and 4. It is, of course, readily apparent from this feature that no machine folding whatever is necessary for the dispenser and tissue packet of the present invention.

Further, in loading machinery designed for the present container, it is possible to utilize the support 10 for picking up the paper 9 from a flat surface for introduction into the carton. While the loading may, of course, be done by hand, it is preferred that this operation be mechanical. A further aid in the mechanical loading of the present device is the fact that the support 10 extends at each end, a substantial distance past the end of the folded paper, i. e. the distance of the width of the cars 11. In view of this extension, it is possible to utilize the space at the end of the support 10 for mechanically handling the support 10 during loading operation.

With the container in its loaded conditions, the consumer merely perforates the upper edge 4 at the pottions indicated either in Figures 2, 5 or 6 in the manner well known, leaving the open cutouts. He then, in order to dispense a single. sheet of tissue, grasps the outermost sheet between his. thumb and forefinger through the cutouts 3a on both sides of the container and pulls upwardly. While it might appear that a plurality of sheets would be removed by such a procedure, it has been found that this container using the stifi floating support positively dispenses only one sheet at a time, and that each sheet from the first to the last is easily removed through the longitudinal cutouts either 7, 8; 25, 26; or 28, 29.

Due to the fact that the support '10 is floatingly mounted, it is immaterial whether or not the container is laid on its end walls 1 and 2, or positioned on an edge 15. The support 10 prevents the sheets from buckling or otherwise becoming improperly positioned in, the container.

The cutout portion .16. permits ready grasping of the last few sheets and has been found in practice to 'be a desirable feature. However, the container is operative without this cutout and should it be desired for simplicitys sake to eliminate the cutout 16, it is possible to do so with a resultant slight decrease in efiiciency when the last few sheets are reached.

While the above described container dispenser is designed for sale as a complete unit, with the tissue mounted over the support 10 therein, the dispensing arrangement herein utilized is readily usable as a commercial, re-fillable type dispensing unit. In such an arrangement, the container, formed with the dispensing outlet such as shown in either Figures 2, and 6 but preferably as shown in Figure 5, is constructed of metal or other substantially permanent material. The container will, of course, also include cutaway portions 3a for the thumb and forefinger as in the case of the cardboard package dispenser.

The edge 30 of the metal container may be eliminated or provided with hinges 32, shown in Figure 11, so that a container shaped identically thereto and in the manner of the disposable carton above may be inserted therein with its dispensing openings aligned with those of the metal container. A disposable carton may, in the alternative, be supplied in which the top edge 4 is completely removed along with cutouts 311 on the sides thereof.

As further mentioned above, in cases where large amounts of the tissue are utilized and in which storage space is at a premium, it is possible to utilize the present invention without pre-mounted tissue. In such cases, the outer dispenser container is manufactured of metal or other substantially indestructible material as is also the support 10. The user is then supplied with the tissue wrapped in unfolded, fiat rectangular packages, the shape of the sheet itself such as a ream, and preferably in commercial quantities.

In order to utilize a permanent type of container, it is necessary that access be provided for the loading of the container when empty. This may be done several ways; two of which are shown in Figures 10 and 11. In Figure 10 the lower side is hinged at 33 to the wall 2. Conventional latching means, not shown, may be used for maintaining the side 15 in closed position. similar arrangement is provided in Figure 11 except that the side is hinged at 32 to the wall 2. In either case, it is possible to open and close the container to reload it with tissues.

When the last sheet has been dispensed from the metal container above described, the support 10 'is removed therefrom, preferably by opening the hinged lower side 15 or the hinged end 30 shown in Figure 11. The fiat package of tissue is then opened and the support 10 positioned with its edge 12 facing upwardly under the center of the bottom sheet of the package. As the support 10 is then lifted upwardly, the tissue drapes over it in the manner shown in Figure 12, in which condition the support 10 with the paper 9 thereon is inserted upwardly through the hinged edge 15 into the container shown in Figure 10 or laterally through the open end 30 shown in Figure 11. Of course, as is apparent, the use of a hinged or otherwise de-mountable edge 15 has the advantage of permitting a ready insertion of the unboxed refill since the inserting action has a tendency to press the sheets 9 more firmly against the support 10 rather than tending to displace them therefrom.

In such a commercial embodiment just described, the tissue inserts may be sold with an absolute minimum of packaging costs and an entire elimination of folding costs. Further, the loading of the dispenser is extremely simple, being in fact easier than the loading of the now generally utilized dispensers requiring folded paper inserts. Also, since the metallic container could readily be secured in practically any position on the wall or other surface so long as the edge 4 faces upwardly, downwardly, or away from the wall to permit excess thereto, the container dispenser of the present invention is extremely adaptable as well as simple and inexpensive.

It will thus be apparent from the above discussion and i 6 a consideration of the attached drawings that we have provided a 'novel dispensing apparatus and tissue packet therefor that is extremely simple, highly efficient in operation, and which permits the use of paper manufacturing machinery, of the simplest type It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be varied throughthe wide range from the principles of this invention and it is, therefore,

not proposed to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. In combination, a thin, flat, rectangular dispenser for a stack of non-self-supporting sheets of paper tissue folded substantially about the centerline of the stack as a whole, said dispenser comprising a relatively flat, rectangular receptacle having four narrow side walls and two relatively large end walls for receiving said stack of sheets and a separate rectangularly shaped flat support member floatingly positioned within said dispenser, said support member having exterior position-controlling extensions which conform to the inner dimensions of said end walls whereby said support is movable relative to the receptacle along its thinnest dimension only, said stack of sheets being folded about an edge of said support and extending along both sides of said support between said support and the end wall-s of said receptacle, said receptacle having a narrow longitudinally extending opening in a portion of one of the narrow side walls thereof toward which the fold of the folded tissue is presented, said opening extending for the full length of the stack to be dispensed therethrough but less than the length of said one narrow wall, the said support member extensions forming a stack receiving and positioning recess on the edge of the support nearest the receptacle opening and aligned with and substantially equal in length to said receptacle opening, said receptacle having finger receiving recesses in opposite edges of said opening substantially midway thereof for permitting grasping of the outermost sheet adjacent the fold for removal of individual sheets from said dispenser through said opening with out wrinkling the sheets and without removal of said support from said receptacle through said opening.

2. In combination, a dispenser for a folded stack of separate non-self-supporting sheets of tissue paper comprising, a rectangular container having four narrow side walls cooperating with two substantially rectangular end walls having a relatively larger area, one of said side walls having a longitudinally extending slot therein, said slot having an enlarged cutaway opening substantially at the center thereof, said cutaway extending into both of said end walls, and a thin, stiff. substantially rectangular, support member floatingly mounted within said container and having its outer dimensions substantially identical to said end walls and having a cutaway rectangular recess in the edge thereof facing said side with the slot, said cutaway recess being generally aligned with the said dispenser slot and having a depth substantially the same dimension as the initial depth of the stack of non-selfsupporting tissues to be dispensed and a length substantially the same as the length of said slot.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 696,678 Hitt Apr. 1, 1902 735,006 Watkins July 28, 1903 735,925 Winter Aug. 11, 1903 1,274,374 Bicker Aug. 6, 1918 1,414,946 Graham May 2, 1922 1,441,266 Clune Jan. 9, 1923 1,501,983 Brunhofl? July 22, 1924 1,522,776 Glanzer Jan. 13, 1925 1,657,942 Spaldo Ian. 31, 1928 (Other references on following page) 7 UNrrEp STATES PATENTS Traver Aug. 19, 1930 Baxter June 1.8, 1935 Gluck June 29, 1937 Bodette Dec. 7, 1937 Howell Sept. 20, 1938 Lawson July 4, 1939 Fourness et a1 Apr. 2, 1940 v.8 Qartier Feb. 4, 1941 Braley ..r v fl r July 12, 1949 Barrett v-, r, July 3, 1951 Knudsen Aug. 12, 1952 Nudell Sept. 14, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Nov. 10, 1938 

